The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.

                                
                                  Ware þai so wyse þat has waes · qua ware so [MS. inserts wyse h, underlined.]  wide praysed [folio 79b] 
                                
                                  As þa þat lepros ere & lame · þat neuire of leth knewe?
                                
                                  If I ȝoure parties aproche · & piȝt vp my tentis, [AlexDind page 33] 
                                  Line 4594 
                                
                                  If I it miȝt, as I ne may · for missyng of schipis,
                                
                                  Þare suld my folk for defaute · be famyscht for euire,
                                
                                  And worthe in a wale quile · to wricchis as ȝour-selfe!
                                
                                  Ȝe say ȝour women has na wedis · þe werd with to plese,
                                
                                  Garlands ne no gay gere · to glyffe [A curl over the g.]  in ȝour eȝen,
                                  Line 4599 
                                
                                  Silke of Sipris, ne say · ne saffrond kellis;
                                
                                  For-quy þare is nane to gete · now neuyn I þe cause!
                                
                                  Adultery on all wise als ȝe deuoyde,
                                
                                  Echchewis [MS. Ethchewis.]  ay þat caffare · as castite wald;
                                  Line 4603 
                                
                                  If ȝe na will haue to þat werk · it wondres me littill;
                                
                                  How suld ȝe nayte euir þat note · þat neȝes neuir þe fode?
                                
                                  Slik lust is lang on þe leuir · & likand spices
                                
                                  Mast cherischid & encheson · of chasteand metis;
                                  Line 4607 
                                
                                  And ȝe [In the margin.]  bot fede ȝow with frute · at flays noȝt ȝoure hongir,
                                
                                  For-þi neuire ailes ȝow þat apetite · þir artis with to dele. [AlexDind page 34] 
                                
                                  Is þar na lare in ȝoure land · labour of scolis,
                                
                                  Fesike, ne no philosofy · ne no fourme ellis,
                                  Line 4611 
                                
                                  Piromancie, ne poisei · ne practyse of lawe,
                                
                                  Ne neuire na mercy ȝow emell · as mynes me ȝour pistill;
                                
                                  All þis condicions I call · bot comon of bestis,
                                
                                  Þat has no sent in þaire saule · ne sauour in na gude.
                                
                                  Bot we þat fourmed is & fast · & has a fre will
                                  Line 4616 
                                
                                  Differris as in oure fraunches · fere fra ȝoure kynde.
                                
                                  It ware no possible poynt · to paise in my witt,
                                
                                  Þat all miȝt ay be eftir ane · with-outen any chaunge.
                                
                                  For eftir baret or bale · blis vs aperis,
                                  Line 4620 
                                
                                  And eftir wele comys wa · for so þe werd askis.

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Title: The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.
Canvas: Page 242
Publication: London,: Pub. for the Early English text society, by N. Trübner & co.,; 1886.
Subject terms: Alexander, -- the Great, -- 356-323 B.C. -- Romances.

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/apa1967.0001.001
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Full citation: "The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/apa1967.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 23, 2025.

The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.

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